Minitab Statistical Software integrates with R, a language and environment for statistical computing and graphing. To accomplish R integration, Minitab, LLC provides the mtbr package. With this custom R package, you can create tables, graphs, messages, and notes in R and display them in Minitab. R integration offers the flexibility of custom R code within Minitab's easy-to-use interface, and the results can be saved, stored, and shared in Minitab Project Files. After you install the mtbr package, you're ready to run R code from Minitab. If you have R code that you want to access routinely, you can customize Minitab's interface to make the analysis more accessible through custom buttons or menus.
For more information on Minitab's R package, including R code examples, go to R API Reference.
For information on R, consult the guidance available at www.r-project.org.
All the files referenced in this guide are available in this .ZIP file: r_guide_files.zip.
- Requirements
-
- Minitab Desktop 21.2 or later. To check your version of Minitab, choose .
- The current version of R.
Note
If you are using any version of Minitab Desktop between 20.2 and 21.1.1 or an older version of R, contact Minitab Customer Support to obtain a compatible download for the mtbr package.
Step 1: Install R
Note
Install and run R before you attempt to integrate R with Minitab Statistical Software. For assistance with the installation of R, please consult with your organization's technical support department. Minitab Technical Support cannot assist with the installation of R.
- Microsoft® Windows
-
- On R's website, under Downloads, click CRAN, then select an appropriate mirror. Typically, the default mirror of cloud.r-project.org works best.
- On the page, The Comprehensive R Archive Network, under Download and Install R, click Download R for Windows.
- On the page, R for Windows, click base.
- On the page, R-4.2.0 for Windows, click Download R-4.2.0 for Windows.
If R is not in your PATH, add R to your system environment variables. Otherwise, Minitab will not be able to find R. Usually, the path points to the location of the Rscript.exe file. For example, the path could be C:\R\R-4.2.0\bin\x64.Note
If you are using R through an Anaconda environment, go to Additional instructions for Anaconda environments.
Step 2: Install mtbr
To use R with Minitab, install the mtbr package. The mtbr package gives you the capability to bring data from Minitab into R and to return R results to Minitab. Complete the following steps to install the latest version of the mtbr package.
- Go to www.minitab.com/support/downloads and download mtbr.
- Open an R terminal by running the "R {version}" application.
- Copy the following command to
the
R terminal and change the path to match
the download location on your computer:
install.packages("C:/Users/username/Downloads/mtbr_0.3.1.zip", repos = NULL) - Press ENTER to run the command.
After R and the mtbr package are installed, you can use the RSCR command to run R from Minitab.
Step 3: Verify the installation with Minitab
Use the following steps to verify that Minitab can find R and mtbr.
Open Minitab
- In the Microsoft® Windows operating system, open Minitab normally.
- In an Anaconda environment, follow the instructions for opening Minitab in Additional instructions for Anaconda environments.
Run a test file
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| test.R | A sample R script used throughout this guide. For this section, you run the script without arguments. When the script runs successfully, the result is the message "Minitab successfully located your R installation." |
- Put test.R in Minitab's folder for R scripts. The default folder location depends on your operating system. For more information, go to Default folders for R files for Minitab.
- After you save the file, run
the following command in the
Command
Line
pane in Minitab:
RSCR "test.R"Important
If the Minitab Command Line is not visible, choose .
R Script
These results are from external software.Default folders for R files for Minitab
Typically, R integration with Minitab works best when the files that you use are in the default folder location for Minitab files. If you do not specify a file path when you run R from within Minitab, Minitab looks for your R files in the default folder.
- Microsoft® Windows
-
The default location is the "My Documents" folder.
In the Microsoft® Windows operating system, if your R file is in the default folder and you receive the error "File not found:", check the default file location in your Minitab settings. To view or change the default file location in Minitab, choose .
If the location is correct and you receive the error "Cannot open file:", examine the file path in Minitab's output for invalid or missing characters. If the file path contains invalid or missing characters, try moving or renaming the file.
